Integrated circuit (IC) packages must be tested after their manufacture. Testing can include burn-in, testing and programming of IC packages. The integrated circuits are temporarily installed on a circuit board, tested, and then removed from the circuit board. Accordingly, sockets are necessary to install the IC packages on the printed circuit board for testing. These sockets include multiple contacts to connect each of the terminals of the IC package to corresponding conductors on the printed circuit board. Currently, each IC package is tested in a separate socket requiring a test operator to open and close each socket each time an IC is tested. An example of such a socket is the Wells-CTI socket series number 654.
The sockets are positioned on a printed circuit board where the sockets are arranged in a relatively dense array to allow for as many IC packages as possible to be tested at once. These sockets are therefore arranged in a relatively close side-by-side and end-to-end spacing. However, the number of IC packages tested on a single board is limited to the number of sockets that can fit on the printed circuit board.
It is therefore desirable both to increase the number of IC packages tested on a single board and correspondingly reduce the number of socket devices, thereby reducing the number of times a test operator has to open and close sockets. It would be advantageous to have a socket that accommodates multiple IC packages within a single socket. More IC packages could then be tested on a single board and less time would be spent per IC package opening and closing sockets, thereby decreasing the cost of IC package manufacturing. It would also be advantageous to have a socket that accommodates more than one type or size of IC package within a single socket.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.